Search Salon

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Recently in Salon Travel

Letter from the Vineyard, Part 2
The news sinks in.
By William Mullins
[07/22/99]

"No one ever called them Vineyarders"
Life on the island in the wake of JFK Jr.'s crash.
By William Mullins
[07/21/99]

Camp Nostalgia
As a traveler, my favorite trips are always the repeats. Do I dare head back to camp?
By Louise Rafkin
[07/20/99]

"Water" and other stories
A drowning, porcelain cows, a chubby sultan and more: Six original pieces turn travel on its dreamy ear.
By Barry Yourgrau
[07/17/99]

Cinema verities
They cast me as the white guy with the Indian lover. But my Indian lover found me untouchable.
By Jonah Blank
[07/16/99]

Complete archives for Travel

- - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Donald D. Groff

July 22, 1999 | I'm considering a trip to London. Is there a good source for information on London sights off the beaten path? (I'm 26, single and I like experiencing neighborhood flavor.) I have a minor disability where I sometimes use a wheelchair for long distances (street tours, going through a park). Do you know of any resources for accessibility in London?

Richard Branson & Co., the same jolly people who brought us Virgin Atlantic airways and Virgin Megastores, have just leaped into the publishing fray with a guidebook to London that's packed with details on sites, pubs, restaurants, galleries and other attractions, arranged by neighborhood. It's easy to use and has a hip edge to it, as you might expect from a publication whose parent company is a favorite among the glitterati. You can find the book, entitled simply "London: A Virgin Guide" and published by Virgin Publishing Ltd., in stores or order it through U.S. distributor Globe Pequot, phone (800) 962-0973.

Londontown.com is the official site of the London Tourist Board.

Another book to check out is the London installment of the Frommer's Irreverent Guides series, which bills itself as "a wickedly honest guide for sophisticated travelers, and those who want to be." It also mentions an accessibility hot line for arts events.

Many publications and Web sites can help you with accessibility questions, including Access-Able Travel Source.

Another source is the Travelin' Talk Network, an information network providing assistance to travelers with disabilities.

A key organization is the Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped, whose site offers many links.

For mobility-impaired travelers looking for a company to help them plan a trip to the United Kingdom, there's Undiscovered Britain, which specializes in creating packages for wheelchair travelers and their partners. The company's phone number is (215) 969-0542, and its Web site includes accessibility information.

For a trip to China, will we be able to use credit cards?

Credit cards are increasingly accepted in China's larger cities, especially for hotels and big-ticket shopping, but don't expect to use them as reliably as in industrialized countries. More likely you'll be spending in yuan (aka the renminbi or RMB).

The Lonely Planet guide to China has a thorough description of money routines. For an abbreviated look, visit the Lonely Planet site and click on "money and costs." It includes a section that says:

Foreign currency and travellers' cheques can be changed at the main branches of the Bank of China, the tourist hotels, Friendship Stores and some department stores. Hotels usually charge the official rate. You will need to keep your exchange receipts if you want to change any of your remaining RMB at the end of your trip. Travellers' cheques are useful because the exchange rate is more favourable than that for cash; Thomas Cook, American Express and Bank of America are most commonly accepted.

Credit cards are gaining ground in China, with Visa, MasterCard, American Express (branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen), JCB and Diners Club the most common. Cards can be used in most mid- to top-range hotels, Friendship and department stores, but cannot be used to finance your transportation costs. Cash advances can be made at head branches of the Bank of China (for 4 percent commission).

The official Web site of the China National Tourism Administration has a short section on money under "money and credit card," as well as sections on shopping, costs and traveling independently.

There are several branches of the China National Tourist Office, including one at 333 West Broadway, Suite 201, Glendale CA 91204, phone (818) 545-7505; another is at 350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6413, Empire State Building, New York, NY 10118; phone (212) 760-9700.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing's Web site has a link through which U.S. citizens can register their presence in China and provide emergency contact information that would be helpful to U.S. officials, should you run into trouble.

Next page | Battlefields and a snooty hotel